France aim to secure World Cup place as Paris marks attacks anniversary
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
France coach Didier Deschamps during a training session on Nov 11.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
PARIS – France’s World Cup qualifier against Ukraine on Nov 13 will be a poignant occasion, as it takes place on the 10th anniversary of the 2015 Paris terror attacks.
On Friday, Nov 13, 2015, a series of attacks in the French capital and around the Stade de France during a friendly match between Les Bleus and Germany left a total of 130 people dead.
Most of those who were killed lost their lives at the Bataclan concert hall in the city, where the US band Eagles of Death Metal were playing.
But one person died near the Stade de France in the northern Paris suburb of Saint-Denis, where multiple explosions took place as suicide bombers attempted to enter the ground.
The stadium was packed with France’s then president Francois Hollande among the close to 80,000 spectators in attendance for the game against Germany – the match was played to a conclusion despite the unfolding events, with France winning 2-0.
A decade on, none of the France players involved that night, bar unused substitute Lucas Digne, are in the squad to face Ukraine across the capital at the Parc des Princes, but national coach Didier Deschamps remains in charge of Les Bleus.
“Deep down, I think it would have been better if we could have avoided playing on Nov 13,” Deschamps admitted as he spoke to reporters last week to announce his squad.
“Was that possible? I don’t have the answers, and it’s not up to me.”
A minute’s silence will be held ahead of kick-off to remember the victims of the attacks, and Deschamps added: “Out of respect for the families who have suffered and lost loved ones, there is an obligation to remember what happened, but there is a football match to be played too.”
The game is potentially decisive for France as they seek to secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup in North America.
Les Bleus, winners of the World Cup in 2018 and runners-up in Qatar in 2022, are on top of the four-team Group D with two matches remaining.
They sit three points clear of Ukraine in second, meaning a win here will wrap up qualification with a game to spare – but if they slip up, they will still be in a position to finish first when they go to Azerbaijan on Nov 16.
Ukraine realistically have to win the game to stand a chance of beating the French to top spot, and are otherwise aiming to hold off Iceland to finish second and go into the play-offs.
Veteran midfielder N’Golo Kante, now playing in Saudi Arabia, was brought back into the France squad for the games and could make his first international appearance in a year.
Randal Kolo Muani of Tottenham Hotspur had been recalled too, but he was later forced to withdraw with a broken jaw.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele is a notable injury absentee for France, who beat Ukraine 2-0 in September’s reverse fixture in Poland. AFP
